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An analysis of the success Glamorgan’s 2013 summer will depend on what sort of cricket supporter you are.

Was the last few months a new Glamorgan dawn or just another season of mediocrity and failure?

It certainly divided the members at their annual end of season meeting last week at the Swalec Stadium.

It has to be divided into the relative successes and failures of the differing one-day and four-day formats.

The less fussy fan would suggest a successful limited over campaign as Glamorgan reached a Lord’s one-day final for the first time in 13 years.

Despite the 87-run defeat to Nottinghamshire last weekend, Glamorgan still believe they were in that game.

What might have been if Gareth Rees had not dropped David Hussey on three or one of the recognised batsman could have survived the Samit Patel spin spell?

But this defeat can’t take away from a one-day and Twenty 20 return of 13 wins in 23 matches, with nine defeats and only one match abandoned.

This percentage win ratio of more than 50 per cent in limited overs cricket has been a pipe dream for the last few years.

Despite the T20 meltdown where they lost five out of six matches to miss out on quarter-final qualification, Glamorgan bounced back to prove they are now a limited overs side to be reckoned with, typified by their YB40 semi-final hammering of Hampshire in Southampton.

The results are also more encouraging for the county’s hierarchy concerned with managing the county’s continuing challenging financial position with the one-day game providing almost all the domestic income.

But before the champagne corks are popped or the back slapping proves too loud, you must compare and contrast the four-day format.

The purist and in fact most members will point to another failed season in the county championship with Glamorgan languishing in eighth place in Division Two, only above whipping boys Leicestershire.

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A return of three wins, six defeats and seven draws in 16 games is a below-par return for a side who have made little impact in the four-day format in Matthew Mott’s three seasons in charge.

Matthew Maynard had just failed to gain promotion in his final season in 2010 when Glamorgan finished third before the hierarchy decided it was time for upheaval.

Ironically it was the poor one-day form which triggered this change.

Since Mott has come in the limited overs has improved, while the county championship results have stagnated and deteriorated.

This will be Mott’s stark statistical legacy when he returns to Australia.

Glamorgan bosses delayed handing Mott a new contract so the amiable Australian last month took the decision out of his hands by announcing he was leaving the Swalec Stadium.

Mott stored a lot of faith in overseas player Marcus North in the last two summers which seemed an inspired decision at the time.

But while the Australian batsman might have proved an assured one-day captain at times, North has failed to do what he is ultimately paid for and that was to score runs.

His poor return of 392 in 18 innings at an average of only 23 was sub-standard and he failed to emulate his brilliant start to the 40-over season where he scored 68 and 137 in consecutive days at Colwyn Bay and Lord’s.

Mott has been responsible for some inspired signings with Michael Hogan and Murray Goodwin excelling in their first summers in Wales.

Hogan, who was snaffled from Western Australia, with the help of North, perhaps his greatest Glamorgan contribution, has been a revelation after taking more than 100 wickets in all formats.

Goodwin’s signing raised a few eyebrows with the arrival of a 40-year-old who had just suffered a poor season with Sussex.

But Goodwin has proved he is a special 40something by demonstrating the sort of form which has seen him score 70 first-class hundreds and win seven trophies in 12 years at Sussex.

His tally of more than 1,200 first class in 2013 included four hundreds as the oldest county cricketer on the circuit demonstrated to his younger colleagues the art and discipline of batting.

Hogan and Goodwin have been backed up inspirational all-rounder Jim Allenby who also notched up more than 1,200 first-class runs and was the leading light in one-day cricket.

But Glamorgan have been too reliant on this trio, especially in the four-day format.

There have been some encouraging signs from rising stars spinner Andrew Salter and teenage all-rounder Ruaidhri Smith, who both took wickets with their first balls in county championship cricket.

Chris Cooke excelled in the extra one-day responsibility of batting at three, responded with being the highest scorer in the YB40 and also establishing himself in the county championship line-up.

But just one look at the county championship facts and figures will demonstrate the reliance on Hogan, Goodwin and Allenby.

Hogan has carried the bowling with only Mike Reed (38) Dean Cosker (37) and Allenby (30) taking more than 30 first-class wickets.

Glamorgan forced three opponents to follow-on but ending up in draws.

Allenby and Graham Wagg have under-performed with the ball while Reed, Will Owen and Huw Waters, who missed almost the whole season, have been dogged by injury.

Goodwin and Allenby have been responsible for six of the nine first-class centuries this summer with Gareth Rees grabbing a brace and Mark Wallace chipping in with one three-figure score.

The opening partnerships has proved the Achilles heel with a combined return of just 750 runs at an average of only 28 this summer as Will Bragg, Ben Wright and Stewart Walters all failed to establish themselves in the top three.

This has highlighted Glamorgan inability to produce a home-grown batsman who can score 1,000 runs a season.

The exception in recent years has been Gareth Rees who was bizarrely ignored for the opening half of the season.

South African Jacques Rudolph has been signed to solve the overseas player and opening batting conundrum next season. Whether he will be joined by Australian fans favourite Mark Cosgrove appears unlikely but remains to be seen.

Glamorgan’s arguably greatest signing of the summer has been installing Hugh Morris as the new director of cricket and chief executive for the departing Alan Hamer.

Hamer has had his critics during his seven years at Glamorgan but should be praised by the manner in which he oversaw the international programme this summer with eight games at the Swalec Stadium.

But what Morris will bring is more cricket experience and his first job will be to appoint a new coach next month, while the decision on whether to replace Mark Wallace as club captain is also another a pressing matter.

The new coach and possibly skipper will inherit a side who should be at the peak of their powers next year.

Next year should not be a case of assessing success and failure in differing forms of the game.

Northamptonshire proved both was possible this summer by winning the T20 tournament and achieving promotion to Division One.

Glamorgan should have the talent and experience to aim emulate something like that in 2014.

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